Attorneys From Australia to U.S. Advise on Largest Norwegian Deal This Year
(SAN DIEGO) Feb. 14, 2005 – DLA Nordic and DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP (DLA Piper) are representing Invitrogen Corporation (NASDAQ:IVGN) in the company’s acquisition of Dynal Biotech, a privately held biomagnetic separation technology company based in Oslo, Norway.
On Feb. 8, Invitrogen announced it had signed a definitive agreement to acquire Dynal Biotech from majority owner Nordic Capital and a co-investor for approximately $381 million, or NOK 2.5 billion, based on recent currency exchange rates. The acquisition is the largest transaction in the Norwegian market so far this year, based on transaction value, and is expected to close by the end of the first quarter.
The Dynal acquisition marks the second time in just over three months that attorneys from transatlantic DLA Piper offices have represented Invitrogen in a cross-border acquisition. In late October 2004, U.K.-based attorneys from DLA and U.S.-based attorneys from Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich advised Invitrogen on the acquisition of DNA Research Innovations Limited. The firm’s have since merged to create one of the largest law firms in the world.
“This transaction demonstrates the global capabilities we can offer industry leading clients and our experience in handling cross-border deals of any size,” said Marius Lysell Andresen, a partner at DLA Nordic who led the firm’s deal team alongside Jeff Baglio, a corporate and securities partner in DLA Piper’s San Diego office. “We are delighted to have been able to collaborate with several DLA Piper offices around the world to represent Invitrogen.”
The full team includes lawyers from DLA Piper offices in Beijing, Brussels, Madrid and London, and focus firms in Australia and Japan.
In the U.S., DLA Piper’s Mergers and Acquisitions group consists of an integrated team of more than 130 transactional lawyers and has ranked among the most active M&A practices in the country. In 2004, Gray Cary and Piper Rudnick were involved in more than 100 completed U.S. transactions representing a total value of approximately $25 billion. Combined, Gray Cary and Piper Rudnick would have ranked 6th nationally, based on completed U.S. deals, according to Thomson Financial 4Q 2004 league tables.
According to mergermarket’s 2004 M&A league tables, DLA ranked 2nd as advisers on transactions in the UK, in terms of deal volume, with 118 deals, totaling approximately EUR 5,944m. DLA ranked 6th as advisers on transactions in Europe, by deal volume, with 127 deals, totaling approximately EUR 6,767m.
U.K./NORWAY CONTACTS:
Marius Lysell Andresen, Partner, Advokatfirma DLA Nordic DA, +47 24 13 16 14
Helen Obi, Media Relations, DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary UK LLP, Tel: +44 (0)20 7796 6989
U.S. CONTACTS:
Jeff Baglio, Partner, DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP (415) 836-2510
Patrick Bustamante, Media Relations, DLA Piper Rudnick Gray Cary US LLP (650) 833-2388
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